


After The Plot: Crashing

by Castiel_Left_His_Mark_On_Me



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-09-20
Packaged: 2018-04-22 11:47:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4834175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Castiel_Left_His_Mark_On_Me/pseuds/Castiel_Left_His_Mark_On_Me
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jensen didn't realize just how tense he's become since everything that happened with Misha, so ... Danneel proposes a little beach trip.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After The Plot: Crashing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ImItchingonaPhotograph](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImItchingonaPhotograph/gifts).



> This addition to ["The Plot"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2795588/chapters/6274970) is a birthday gift to my wonderful friend, and arguably, this story's biggest fan— Geneviève. I hope you like it!
> 
> For new readers, you should read the main story first or else this one is likely to not make too much sense.

* * *

 

            It was Danneel’s idea. He didn’t take to it right away because all of their schedules were far too chaotic, but it didn’t take much pushing on her part to sway him. So, with a few phone calls and some talented word play on Jensen’s behalf—some wiggle room was spared to let them escape. The studio pushed back some things and some interviews were rescheduled, allowing for Jensen, his wife and their daughter to take a day and head back to California—a long way to go for a beach trip, but in this case, _it was worth it._

 

            “We all had a great time on that boat—and with everything that happened with Misha, and then with the new season starting, I just think it would be good, for _you two_ especially, to find that happiness again.” That’s how she brought it up at first. Danneel had cornered him before he was set to fly back to Vancouver. Her amber eyes pleaded as she went on to say that she was worried about him. Jensen had tried to convince her that he was fine now … but as always, she somehow knew something that he didn’t; because once on board that long flight—he found himself hiding out in the small bathroom _more than_ a few times, trying to calm the anxiety creeping throughout his veins. _He wasn’t fine._ Not by a long shot. In the span of a week, he went from being the happiest he’s ever been, to being the most on edge, and he knew he had what happened to Misha to blame. It almost made him resent the man … not that the guy could have helped it. He was attacked at random, and of course that wasn’t his fault, but Jensen absolutely _hated_ how quickly his smile disappeared. He wanted that time on the boat back. He wanted Misha – laughing, happy … free of scars. He wanted their wives sharing knowing looks between one another. Jensen wanted their kids running laps around them, giving them all heart attacks when they started climbing the railing. He wanted it _all_ back, but it seemed dead and buried as soon as Misha got pushed down onto that street. It wasn’t the guy’s fault— _no_ , but why the hell did it have to happen and ruin everything?

            That was when he knew Danneel was right; so as soon as he touched down in Vancouver, he called her up and told her to book the flight to LA. They all needed that good time to flow through them again, and Jensen couldn’t wait for it.

            Misha, on the other hand was a bit harder to convince—not that he didn’t want to see them all, he ensured, but for all of them to switch up their lives just to come make sure he was okay, seemed extensive. Jensen tried to explain that it wasn’t just for _him_ , it was for _all_ of them. That the ease they gained from their first vacation got stolen away too quickly … but Misha disagreed. Their phone call lasted over an hour—Jensen, trying to persuade the man to let them come, and Misha, telling him that he was worrying too much and they shouldn’t bother. The call might have stretched on an hour more if Danneel hadn’t come in, ripping the cell from Jensen’s hand and pushing it up to her own ear.

            “Misha, _we’re coming_ —we’re going to have a beach day and you’re going to have a damn good time, you got it?”

            Soon, his wife was giving him a curt nod before returning the phone and storming out of the room. When Jensen finally managed to shut his gaping mouth and get back to the man on the other end of the line, all he heard was Misha heaving a deep, heavy sigh.

            “I guess I should go get the guest room ready.”

***

            The soft sand trickles lightly between his toes, and Jensen instantly buries his feet beneath it once more just to watch it all trickle through again. It’s warm against his skin, and the sun is just a bit too hot—and there could at least be a breeze if he wanted to be _completely_ comfortable, but all in all—this is perfect. _Absolutely perfect._

            “You okay, babe?” Danneel hums, reaching out to rub his arm.

            Jensen looks over to her, reclined slightly in her beach chair, letting the sun cradle against all her curves. Her face is hidden beneath the shadow of the umbrella behind them, as well as the oversized sunglasses balancing on the ridge of her nose. He grins at her, scrunching up his eyes to try and slowly take in how cute she looks. “I’m _awesome_. Thanks for making this happen.”

            Danneel squeezes his wrist and then returns to her sun bathing—most likely on route to a much needed nap. She was up a few hours before him, packing for the three of them, and making sure everything was in order. He told her she should have woken him up to help, but she just shook her head happily and said that he needed his sleep. Jensen’s grin tempers into a soft smile as he finally turns away, looking back down to the water’s edge where JJ is digging in the sand with Maison. Vicki is standing guard, pointing out all the shells that they unearth, dutifully collecting each one in her bright yellow wicker bag. Just beyond them, Misha is waist deep in the water—West on top of his shoulders, screeching happily as his daddy jumps up and down and pretends to almost drop him in the waves. _God, I needed this,_ Jensen thinks for the hundredth time. He needed this so badly, and he can’t even believe he was ever in denial about it. Moreover, he can’t believe _Misha_ was ever in denial about it, because he hasn’t seen the man look this relaxed in weeks. They all needed this, and it became so painfully obvious the moment that ocean air filled their lungs.

            “Daddy! Mommy!” JJ’s, breathless words pull his focus back ashore.

            Their little girl is excitedly bouncing towards them, falling to her knees every other step—unable to keep her footing in the soft sand. “What is it, baby?” Jensen laughs, almost standing up to help her—but stopping himself because her frantic scurry is just too cute of a show to miss.

            “Look! _Treasure!_ ’

            Jensen bends forward as his gasping daughter finally comes near—he presses his finger to his lips, prompting her to be quiet as he glances back over to Danneel, who is already fast asleep. JJ nods in understanding before shoving her arm at him, her tiny hand splayed out, exposing a shimmering earring atop her palm. “Oh _wow_ … that’s treasure alright. Where’d ya find it?”

            “The sand!” she chirps quietly, finally catching her breath.

            “Wow” Jensen says again, actually fairly amazed that she managed to find something _more_ than seaweed, shells and cigarette butts. “Do you want me to keep it safe while you go look for more?” he asks, holding out his hand, watching as JJ drops the earring into it.

            She nods enthusiastically and is quickly off like a shot, fumbling her way back to the pile of sand Maison has been adding to. Jensen chuckles, watching his baby girl wriggle down in her green striped bathing suit—wiping her sweat streaked hair off her forehead as she gets back to her very important job of digging to the other end of the earth. After another moment, he turns his attention to the earring—it’s nothing but costume jewelry … probably some teenager’s attempt at high fashion. But he knows, to his little girl, it will forever be _treasure_ , and he can’t help but treasure the thought.

 

            Another twenty minutes pass with Jensen just watching the water and the beauty that is his family, surrounding it. Finally, as the sweat pools at the base of his spine, he decides to dip his feet—telling himself that the decision isn’t being based off that fact that West joined the rest of the kids in their digging project—leaving Misha all alone in the water. _That has nothing to do with it._ He’s just needs to cool down.

            With swaggering, wide steps, Jensen makes his way to the foaming ridge of the ocean—blushing slightly as Vicki looks at him, then over her shoulder at her husband and then back again. Her eyes darken a little as she gives him a knowing smirk.

            “Oh … _shut it_ ” Jensen mutters playfully.

            “I didn’t say a word” she chuckles, bending down to help the kids scoop out the large ditch they’ve created.

            “Mama! Look at this one!” West pipes up, rocking back on his heels as he scoops up a large purple and brown shell from the sand.

            “I want it!” JJ yips, reaching out for the shell but the boy tugs it away.

            “No! It’s mine! I found it.”

            “JJ, you already have your treasure, remember? Let West have his” Jensen warns, giving his daughter a stern look once she meets his eyes. With a huff she returns to digging and West turns around to put the shell in his mother’s bag.

            “I got it from here, Jensen … I know you have other things on your mind” Vicki laughs, nodding towards Misha as the man dives into an oncoming wave.

            Jensen rolls his eyes but smiles, before stepping into the receding current, shivering a little with the chill. He thought it’d be warmer—at least, that’s how he always remembered it. For a moment, he questions wading in, but then he glances up to Misha just as the guy turns around—a smile blooming across his face when he notices Jensen on the shore. His feet are carrying him into the waves before he had a chance to think, and even though the cold is nipping on his nerves, the excitement he feels with being this close to Misha again—seeing the man _happy_ again, has a much bigger bite.

            “You joining me?” Misha calls out over the rush of the water.

            “You looked lonely” Jensen replies, already hearing the grin in his voice.

            “I was … I’m just glad you showed up to keep me company before the sharks did”

            Jensen finally draws close, rocking with the tug and pull of the current. “I’d punch those sharks in the face.”

            Misha laughs, closing the gap between them some more, finding Jensen’s hand through the dark water. “Oh, _so manly_.”

            “Ya like that?” Jensen asks, letting his voice get as rough and spiny as the shells now filling Vicki’s beach bag.

            Misha flicks his eyes back to the shore, probably to make sure that everyone is occupied. The whole family knows about them to some degree, but neither of them really like to display it in front of the kids. Jensen follows his gaze, only to find three tiny butts dancing in the air—shaggy blonde heads lost somewhere in the sand … and Vicki, laughing softly at the sight. He grins, only to have his lips pulled back with Misha’s kiss. Arms slip around his waist and the cold water is suddenly a relief as an eager fire rushes through him.

            “I’ll take that as a _yes_ ” Jensen gasps once the man finally breaks away.

            “Remind me to thank Danneel for forcing this on me” Misha whispers, leaning his forehead against Jensen’s, instantly turning that fire into a warm smolder.

            “I just thanked her for the same thing earlier” Jensen laughs. “That woman _always_ knows what’s best … I should really realize that by now.”

            “Apparently I should too.” Misha straightens out once more and lets his eyes bounce around Jensen’s face. “I wish we had more time here” he says after a long pause.

            “Me too. Maybe … maybe we can plan something during the next break.”

            “That won’t be for a while” Misha returns sadly.

            Jensen lets his hand emerge from the deep, reaching out to cup Misha’s cheek. “I know, babe. But … it’s somthin’ to look forward to.”

            The man’s smile collects against his palm. “ _Babe?_ ” he teases, raising his eyebrow as Jensen blushes and turns to look towards the horizon.

            “ _Shut up_ … I thought I’d try it out” he grumbles, letting his hand fall, but Misha catches it, clutching back to the curve of his neck, tilting his head against his friend’s fingers, trapping them there.

            “No … _I like it_. That may make me a big, old girl … but I _like_ it.”

            Jensen rolls his eyes back to the tan man in front of him—glistening with the mist from the ocean—irises shining, putting the sea to shame. And as he leans in to kiss Misha once more, his gaze catches the small scar tugging at the man’s lip. His humor falls away and sinks to the soft sand building around their ankles. He had managed to not think about it until now—he had avoided looking too closely at Misha’s mouth, but that scar is the wreckage on the waves; the cloud darkening the bright blue and the golden sand. He pulls his touch away from Misha’s neck, letting his damp thumb trace a salty line over the memory—and it _all_ comes rushing back. How _scared_ he was when his phone rang and he heard that Misha got hurt. How much worse it got when no one could tell him exactly what happened. How his chest felt like it was tearing apart when he was finally walking up to Misha’s hotel room—about to see him for the first time since the attack. Even though _he knew_ at that point it all hadn’t been as bad as he first assumed … even though he had spoken to Misha on the phone and _heard_ that he was fine … even though all logical sense told him that he didn’t need to be freaking out, he still was. And it only got worse when the door opened and he saw more blue on Misha’s face than normal—matched with black and red, and stitches cutting through it all. _No_ —it wasn’t horrible, but inside he felt like it was the most horrible thing in the world.

            “I’m glad you’re okay” he whispers—their lips still hovering close but not making contact.

            “Wha—” Misha begins, and then quiets, apparently realizing where Jensen’s thumb is touching. “Are you _still_ upset about all that?” he asks after a few more waves pass them by.

            Jensen nods, choking back his concern yet again. The man knew that he had been worried back when it all happened, but Jensen had never let him know just _how much_. The only one who knew was Danneel—which is probably one of the many reasons she was so emphatic about coming here. It doesn’t take more than _one_ time of having her husband break down in her arms for her to know that something hit him hard. And although he bit his lip and toughened up, putting on a strong front, it was then that Jensen realized just how different he was from Dean. He could never handle anything happening to the people he loves—not even a couple of bumps and stitches. It all made him panic—what if something _worse_ ever happened? What the hell would he do then?

            “I’m okay … you really don’t need to keep worrying about it. You can _see_ I’m really okay, can’t you?”

            Jensen leans back and blinks down towards the salty water, hoping he doesn’t have any to add to the mix. “I know you’re okay … _I do_. It’s just—I … I never had that feeling before. I never had to freak out like that, and … it _really_ sucked.”

            Soft, wet hands are soon at either side of his neck, tilting his head up slowly. Blue eyes cool down his burning skin with an effortless understanding. “That was the worst part for me too … knowing that I was making people worry like that … making Vicki and the kids and you so scared … _I hated it_.”

            “It wasn’t your fault, though” Jensen offers hurriedly, not wanting Misha to think that he blames him. He blames the three assholes who caused all this, _but not him_.

            “I know … but it still happened _to_ me, so I can’t help but feel responsible with how it affected everyone else.”

            Jensen sighs and moves in closer, letting his hands fall to Misha’s water-cooled sides—grimacing when some kelp tangles around his fingers in the process. With an ungraceful flourish, Jensen yanks his hand out of the water and tries to flop away the seaweed, but instead manages to whip it back against his own face. He’s sputtering and spitting and batting away the slimy plant before Misha even had a chance to pull away—ultimately getting splashed in the mayhem. Soon, his friend is cracking up beside him and Jensen is ducking beneath the water, trying to rinse off the stick now suctioned to his lips. He resurfaces a second later, still spitting and cussing at his own stupidity; but as he scrubs his fingers over his chin, he listens to Misha laugh— it’s one of the _best_ things he’s heard all day. Even though _this_ wasn’t the way he was planning on making the guy feel better … he supposes it worked out well enough.

***

            “Oh my god, these are _delicious!_ ” Misha moans, picking up a napkin to wipe the BBQ sauce from his lip. Jensen frowns slightly, knowing that if the kids weren’t around, _he could have licked it off._

            “I’m glad you like them” Danneel laughs, looking around their small group, smiling as the sandwiches she made get thoroughly devoured.

            “I told you, my baby can cook!” Jensen mumbles around a mouthful of pulled pork and toasted bread.

            “ _I’m_ your baby!” JJ grumbles suddenly, her lower lip already pushing out in a pout.

            Jensen swallows the delicious bite before reaching out to tickle his daughter’s neck. “That’s right … I meant, _my babe._ Sorry, love.”

            JJ nods approvingly before going back to the baggy full of grapes she has been hoarding since they sat down to eat.

            “I thought _I_ was your babe” Misha mocks, and Jensen rounds back—already burning red with embarrassment by the time he sees the man’s big eyes, batting sorrowfully.

            “No … _I’m_ his babe. You need to get _your own_ petname” Danneel warns, pointing her finger at their friend.

            “How about pudding? Or shnookums?” Vicki offers, almost sounding like she’s serious.

            “Oh, or _honey_ ” Danneel chimes in.

            “I like _honey_ ” Misha adds, grinning as they all turn to set their eyes on Jensen. “Can I be your honey?”

            “You all suck” Jensen spits, finally turning back to his sandwich, feeling like it’s the only thing left on his side.

            “ _What?_ We’re just trying to cut down on the confusion … after all, you would be in much bigger trouble if you got them all mixed up” Vicki states, nodding slowly towards Misha and then Danneel, and finally JJ. “Pet names are a _serious business_ when you’re juggling this many.”

            Misha nods, looking just as stern as his wife.

            “You’re probably right. Maybe I should cut down to just _one_ —just me and my baby, that’s all I need!” Jensen smiles, crinkling up his nose as his daughter instantly looks at him with the word, not paying attention to anything else being said, but just knowing that her daddy is talking about _her_.

            “Well in that case … I’ll take my sandwich back” Danneel clucks, reaching for the messy meal still being held tightly in Jensen’s clutches.

            “ _Ah!_ No! _Fine_ … just my baby and my babe!”

His wife smiles at him happily.

            “Oh, yeah _… I_ see how it is” Misha huffs, turning away in mock offense.

            Jensen sighs, finally grinning and waggling his eyebrows. “ _Well_ … maybe you can go back to being my _dirty little secret_.”

            The man peeks back at him, a new heat warming beneath his lashes and Jensen’s mouth is suddenly watering for _more_ than just homemade BBQ.

            “Okay, okay you two … keep it PG until the kids go to bed at least” Danneel chides, swatting Jensen on the arm.

            With a harrumph Jensen concedes and lets the conversation fall back into lighter tones—all the while imagining how good Misha’s naked skin would look against the sand.

***

            The kids had gone back to the ditch, never tiring of the simple act of digging. Jensen wonders why they ever bothered with all the expensive toys the past few years … all they really needed to do was give their girl a shovel and apparently, she would be content for hours. _Maybe all that grave digging on set worked its way into their DNA._ He watches them in amusement as the girls stand at his side, talking about a dozen things at once, and not _one_ thing he can keep track of. Misha had wandered off to find a bathroom somewhere, which means he might be in for quite a walk. These beaches off of Kanan are long, and fairly sparse. His mind carries back to when he used to live here, trying to recollect all the times he drove up highway one, seeing if he could remember where exactly _this_ beach fell along the stretch. It’s been a couple of years, and he should know that attempting to remember is pointless, but he tries anyway—barely noticing how the waves are pulling closer and closer to the children and their long labored ditch. It’s not until he hears Maison yelp and sees West jump away that he snaps back to the present … and it’s not until he realizes he _doesn’t_ see JJ that the warm feeling that’s been building inside him all day, turns ice cold. But before he can even move, a rush of brown and blue flashes past him—his eyes quickly focus on Misha in full sprint, running towards the kids. Jensen is soon on his heels, not knowing what the man sees, but knowing he sees _something,_ and that’s enough for him. He skids to a stop when Misha dives, down against the sand, reaching into the now, water-filled ditch and pulling JJ from its depths. The little girl gasps, growing eerily quiet for a moment before letting out an ear piercing scream. Jensen drops to his knees and scoops her from Misha’s hands, squeezing her tightly in his arms.

            “Baby, oh my god! Are you okay? Are you hurt?” JJ doesn’t answer—only crying louder once her daddy’s hold wraps around her.

            Danneel is there in another second, hugging them both and stroking a hand through their daughter’s dripping hair. “Is she okay? What happened?” she yelps, tears already filling her eyes. The sight makes Jensen choke back his own.

            “I was coming back—I saw the wave come up—and JJ’s head—she was in the ditch” Misha says, his chest still heaving from his dash.

            Jensen looks their daughter over—finally seeing that there aren’t any injuries, and by the sound of her cries, no water in her lungs either … _she’s okay_ , just scared out of her mind. After another strong hug, he lets Danneel take her, and watches a moment as his wife rocks their child, shushing her with soft _I love you’s_ and song filled hums. Then, he’s on his feet once more, yanking Misha into another strong hug—this time, not holding back from fear of crushing someone.

            “ _Thank you._ Thank you, thank you, thank you” he sputters, letting a few tears crest his lids now that his back is to his wife.

            Misha’s arms wrap around him, squeezing him back just as hard. “Of course, Jen. It’s okay … _she’s okay_.”

            Jensen shakes his head against Misha’s shoulder while biting the inside of his cheek, trying to keep from breaking down completely. “I didn’t see her _. I didn’t know_ … if you hadn’t of seen her—”

            “She would have _still_ been okay” Misha offers, and Jensen feels the man take in a deep breath, as if gearing up for all the possible outcomes if he _hadn’t_ been there when he had.

            “ _No_ ” Jensen stops him before the man can start “You don’t know that.”

            Misha sighs and relaxes into his hold, lifting a hand to rub across the soft hair at the base of Jensen’s neck. “ _You’re right_ … I don’t, but nothing horrible came from all this, okay? You need to focus on that and not how it could have been worse.”

            Jensen shakes, chest shuttering into his friend’s, wishing that he could take those words to heart, but the fear of not knowing where his daughter was, even for just a minute is still making him sick to his stomach.

            “ _Jensen_ …” Misha whispers, pulling his body back but Jensen is still locking him in. “Jen … babe, look at me” The pet name sounds so different now, and he doesn’t know if it’s just because he’s never heard Misha use it before, or the fact that it’s being used in the height of all this chaos; but it’s so oddly comforting, that Jensen finally allows them to part. “Look at your little girl” Misha whispers, nodding over Jensen’s shoulder, making him turn around—realizing for the first time that his daughter’s cries have stopped. JJ is sitting on Danneel’s lap, still trembling a little, but all in all _calm,_ watching curiously as West digs through their mother’s beach bag.

            “Here, JJ” the little boy says, pulling out his favorite shell “You can have it.”

            Jensen looks on as his baby’s sandy hands reach out and clutch the shell, pulling it tightly into her chest with a small smile. Danneel grins and kisses the top of her head before thanking West for the very kind gift.

            “See … she’s okay” Misha soothes against Jensen’s ear. “She’s okay … I’m okay. _Your family_ is okay. You just need to see it.”

 _He’s right._ Jensen knows he is. Everyone has scares like this, everyone has times to worry—but not every second _is_ a time to worry. JJ needs him to be stronger than that … so does Danneel, and so does Vicki and Maison and West … and Misha. They all need him to be stronger. Like Misha said, they’re all family. They’re _his_ family.

            “I love you” he whispers, turning back around to focus on Misha’s face, cast in an orange outline from the setting ocean sun.

            Misha smiles, tilting forward to give him a soft kiss—so quick, Jensen doesn’t even have a chance to kiss back, but he tries all the same and his resulting stumble makes his friend chuckle, bubbly and light like the thinning water on the shore. “I love you too … _shnookums_.”

            Jensen resists the urge to chuck some seaweed at the man.

 

* * *

 

 

 

[Next Chapter: After The Plot: Spring Forward, Fall Back](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4987486)

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm thinking I might update this again fairly soon. Some Cockles smut is in desperate need after a scene like this, but ... it just wouldn't be right to add in now. So ... subscribe and stay tuned!
> 
> Come find me on Tumblr at [Castiel-Left-His-Mark-On-Me](http://castiel-left-his-mark-on-me.tumblr.com)
> 
> Check out the rest of my Ao3 for more Cockles and Destiel fluff, angst, smut and all around feels!


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